Daniel Nava
Daniel James Nava (born February 22, 1983) is an American professional baseball outfielder and first baseman with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). Nava is only the fourth player in Major League Baseball history to hit a grand slam in his first major league at bat and the second to do it on the first pitch. Boston Red Sox (2010-present) Nava made his Major League debut with the Boston Red Sox on June 12, 2010 at Fenway Park as the starting left fielder against the Philadelphia Phillies. He was called up to help with the team's outfield situation, with Jacoby Ellsbury and Jeremy Hermida on the disabled list and Josh Reddick optioned to the minor leagues for more playing time. Taking the advice of Red Sox radio broadcaster Joe Castiglione, who before the game told him to swing as hard as he could on the first pitch because "that's the only first pitch in the majors you'll ever see," Nava did swing at the first pitch he saw and hit a grand slam off Phillies pitcher Joe Blanton into the Red Sox bullpen. Nava is only the fourth player to have hit a grand slam in his first at-bat, joining Bill Duggleby in 1898, Jeremy Hermida in 2005 and Kevin Kouzmanoff in 2006. Nava is only the second player, after Kouzmanoff, to do so on the first pitch of his Major League career, and the first player in Major League Baseball history to achieve a grand slam on his first-ever MLB career at-bat while in interleague play. His second at-bat, an inning later, was also with the bases loaded, but he struck out, losing the opportunity to become the only player to hit a grand slam in his first two at bats. He is the tenth player in Red Sox history to hit a home run in his first plate appearance with the club, the last being Darnell McDonald on April 20, 2010 against the Texas Rangers. Creighton Gubanich is the only other player in Red Sox history to hit a grand slam for his first big league hit; however, it was not in Gubanich's first Major League at-bat. Bill LeFebvre is the only other player in Red Sox history to hit a home run on the first pitch thrown to him in the big leagues, doing so June 10, 1938. Due to his outstanding debut, Nava continued to start for the Red Sox. On June 17, he had his first three-hit game, two of those hits being doubles, against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Nava managed to reach base safely in his first 13 MLB games. Nava was sent back to Triple-A's Pawtucket on July 22, 2010 to make room for Jeremy Hermida, who came off the DL. He was recalled to Boston on August 2, 2010 to replace Mike Cameron, who was placed on the DL, then optioned two days later to make room for Jacoby Ellsbury. On August 17, 2010 he was once again recalled back to the team after Ellsbury re-injured his ribs. He was designated for assignment and removed from the Red Sox 40-man roster on May 20, 2011. He passed through waivers unclaimed and was out-righted back to the Pawtucket Red Sox. Nava was not invited to major league training camp in 2012, but he was called back to the major league in May of that year, due to the absences of Jacoby Ellsbury and Carl Crawford. As of May 13th, 2012, Nava's debut grand slam was the only major league home run to his credit despite 188 at bats, until May 14, 2012, when he hit a 2 run home run for the Red Sox at Fenway Park against the Seattle Mariners. He hit a three-run home run which proved to be the winning margin on April 20, 2013, the first Red Sox home game after the Boston Marathon bombings earlier that week. On July 29, 2013, Nava fell victim to a controversial call at home plate in which he was ruled out by umpire Jerry Meals, who later admitted that the call was incorrect. Nava platooned with Jonny Gomes in left field throughout the Red Sox's championship season of 2013, posting career highs in games played and all offensive categories. He placed eighth in the American League in batting average (.303) and fifth (.385) in on-base percentage.